Understanding pressure vessel design codes
Learn how the mandatory 2026 ASME BPVC updates shift accountability to manufacturers and compare international standards like EN 13445 and PD 5500.
**Exotic alloy heat exchangers for chemical service: Hastelloy, Inconel, titanium, and zirconium**
A tube bundle fails in eighteen months, and the metallurgical report says the alloy was never wrong on paper. Type 316L was rated for the acid, temperature sat inside the published range, and the corrosion allowance was generous. What the specification missed was a trace of ferric ion carried over from an upstream oxidation step, … Read more
**Exotic alloy heat exchangers for chemical service: Hastelloy, Inconel, titanium, and zirconium**
A tube bundle fails in eighteen months, and the metallurgical report says the alloy was never wrong on paper. Type 316L was rated for the acid, temperature sat inside the published range, and the corrosion allowance was generous. What the specification missed was a trace of ferric ion carried over from an upstream oxidation step, … Read more
Signs your heat exchanger needs repair or replacement
Learn the quantitative indicators (U-value drift, Delta-P trends, tube failure rates) that signal when a shell-and-tube heat exchanger needs repair, retubing, or replacement.
Industries that use falling film evaporators (and why)
Falling film evaporators serve food, water treatment, and chemical industries. Learn how the same physics drives different engineering choices for each application.
Types of reboilers: kettle, thermosiphon, and forced circulation explained
Learn how kettle, thermosyphon, forced circulation, and internal reboilers work and which process conditions determine the right choice for your column.
What does the ASME U-stamp mean and why does it matter?
Learn what the ASME U-stamp certifies, how the three-year audit works, what Form U-1 proves, and how to evaluate a fabricator’s credentials before you sign.
What is the difference between a pressure vessel and a storage tank?
Learn why the 15 PSI threshold separates pressure vessels from storage tanks: what it means for design codes, materials, inspection costs, and liability.
How long does a shell and tube heat exchanger last?
The “20–25 year” lifespan answer is nearly useless. Learn which design and maintenance decisions actually control where your unit lands.
Types of industrial evaporators and how to choose
Learn how feed behavior, materials, and fabrication scale determine the right industrial evaporator before you name a configuration.
